 |
| ||||
   |
 |
|
A Grand Beginning A new beginning should be celebrated with a band, with speeches and a ribbon cutting. |
|
|
“This is an asset to the people of this county,” said Huey Alfred Mack Sr. Mack was the coroner for Baldwin County from 1978 to 2007. He was also one of the founding members of the Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce. Mack was the new group’s first treasurer. “It shows that this county is actively working to attract new business, ” added Mack. “The founding members wanted business to grow around us,” said Jamie Hardy, the Chamber’s current chairman. The new building has been a dream for more than three decades. “The Chamber rumblings began in 1972 when 4 businessmen — Raymond Fell, Percy Pearson, Jimmy Gilbert and Huey Mack — decided central Baldwin was “too scattered” and “didn’t have a central, unified voice" for the community at large. The idea to start a chamber actually came from Raymond Fell of Furniture City in Robertsdale. Jimmy Gilbert was the chamber’s first president (what we now call chairman), Raymond Fell was the first vice president, Percy Pearson was the second vice president and Huey Mack was the treasurer. “Ironically, the first photo’s of the founders with their first "manager — Max Adams — in the local papers are dated April, 1975, exactly 34 years ago to the month from our grand opening,” said Chamber President Marian Mason. The CBCC actually moved into the handsome red brick building earlier in April. The new Chamber, building, constructed by the City of Robertsdale for about $450,000 will also serve as an official state tourist information site. The Chamber’s normal office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Chamber’s phone number is 251-947-2626. While excited at the new, larger and more functional space that will serve as a meeting place for several other area civic groups, Mason was grateful to the Chamber’s previous land lord, Wayne Gruenloh an his firm. “We are going to miss them,” Mason said. “He was a great landlord, one who went above and beyond.” But, Mason is clearly delighted with the new office. “I absolutely love the new office. We have so much space now! Six offices, an upstairs for additional offices if we expand, a beautiful conference room which investors may use and a full kitchen — great for those smaller businesses that want to host a Business After Hours at the Chamber!” The new building is going to be a point of pride for the area, Mason believes. “The Board, staff and chamber investors are so proud to have this new building,” said Mason, in an e-mail. “It represents the best of Central Baldwin county … our history through founders Raymond Fell, Percy Pearson, Jimmy Gilbert and Huey Mack, all the way through the past 40 years of this community working together to enhance and enrich the lives of those working and living here. Much has been accomplished. Now, our job is to ensure that the hard work of our forbearers is not lost, but rather is built upon to continue to improve the lives of those living within our community.” Robertsdale Mayor Charles Murphy quoted from “Choices,” a song made popular by singer George Jones. The lyrics go in part, “I’ve had choices, Since the day that I was born, There were voices, That told me right from wrong. Joking that people were glad that he was not singing the song, Murphy expanded on the choices individuals and area communities made to bring the new Chamber building. “In January 2006, the Robertsdale City Council made the commitment of $400,000 to the new building,” he said, adding that the new building had been a dream of the Chamber leaders for many years. “I had always hoped to see this day,” Mack told the crowd. |
 |